Next Step: Search & Resscue

Following is my movement through airsoft. I'm posting this for others who may be in the same place I was in.

I started playing airsoft in 2006. After a few years, tens of thousands of rounds fired, and hundreds of virtually identical firefights, I started getting bored. I started experimenting with leadership at higher and higher levels. It eventually got to the point where I only played at the CO/XO, and had so little interest in trigger time that I didn't even want to carry a weapon. When I made the switch from tactical to strategic leadership, the hobby took on a whole new life. The skill set -- organization, management, communication, documentation, etc. -- was much more realistic and applicable to real life than the tactical skill set. However, after a handful of major events as senior leadership, that too became bland, for two reasons:1. Due to the nature of the airsoft, there is an intrinsic lack of leadership and training, with myself especially, but also with other leaders, and with players in general. There are, of course, exceptions to that statement.2. There was no point. We go to all of this effort for what purpose? Initially, the adrenalin rush was enough, but that got old quickly.
Because of these reasons, there just didn't seem to be a point in the game.

These things made me decide to begin looking at ways to utilize my budding, yet still inadequate, skill set in something a little more useful. I discovered the search & rescue community, and eventually the team to which I now belong. I'm now in a situation where many of the skills that I began developing in airsoft are being refined and brought to a whole new level, and there's an actual purpose to what I'm doing.

If your airsoft career went like mine, and you're looking for that next challenge, or just want to find some purpose other than an adrenalin rush, you might consider joining a search & rescue team. If you would like more information, contact me.

Comments

For me it was never about the "rush".

Initially I got into it because I was a gun gun buff, and real AR15s were pricey, so the plastic Marui M4 I bought sated the thirst.

What I discovered though, was that I cared less and less about shooting and more about the people I ran into. Airsofters are part of a pretty amazing and diverse cross section of American culture. I've met quite a few people that I would never have met before in my life.

After not playing for many years, I finally picked up an airsoft gun again at (ESR19-2) in OK and forgot what it felt like.

I've met some pretty awesome people playing airsoft, many of whom I still keep in contact with.

It is very interesting that this comes up. It parallels how I feel, but I still love the rush of small unit operations. On the other hand, I've been the head dude for some events in the past. I won't say this was the only thing, but it is a reason I now have forty hooligans under my charge.

Well I've been the "Head Dude," or "Executive Head Dude," in a handful of big events as well. However, while I have the desire to be part of the big picture and deal with data, plans, and whatnot, I don't have the desire to actually lead. I'm assuming that you do, which is why you ended up leading 40 hooligans and I ended up leading no one.

Airsoft for me is about 25% adrenaline rush, 25% fighting side-by-side with friends that I'd known since before airsoft 25% leading and 25% actually knowing that my team changed the outcome of a game - not by giving orders, but by taking action. The feeling you get after dominating a strategic point in a milsim or even a simple open play - that is why I airsoft.